Make Mental and Physical Fitness a Priority for 2021!

After the year we’ve had, show yourself some love

New Year, New You. That’s usually the mantra for every new year. It’s blasted across ads and social media trying to encourage everyone to reinvent themselves. Usually, that idea lasts about two weeks into January. This coming year may be a little different.

Lots of people’s usual routines have been greatly compromised. A big one that took a hit? The gym. Even the biggest gym rats have gained the quarantine-15 due to gym closings across the country. It’s been difficult to make fitness and wellness a priority when you are stuck at home, a little too close to the fridge.

Let’s get back on track in the new year, all things considered, and make taking care of our bodies top of mind once again. The question is, how does one do that? The answer, by becoming the best version of yourself! It’s easy to become the best version of yourself if you follow my 5F plan. I believe these 5 “F” words can lead us to self-actualization.

So, what is self-actualization? In the late 1940s to early 1950s, the great psychologist Abraham Maslow came up with the concept of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. He described self-actualization as “achieving one’s full potential, including creative activities.” Today, we would say that becoming the best version of ourselves is the same concept as reaching Maslow’s self-actualization.

This may all seem a bit more than you wanted to know but let me break it all down for you. Below are my 5 steps to becoming self-actualized. These five things, in my opinion, help lead us to our purpose, which in turn will lead us to become the best we can be.

The 5 F’s to self-actualization:

1. Family – Although there may be friction between members of a family, you cannot change the fact that they are your family, therefore, some members may force us to practice patience and learn how to love one another. There is no substitute for your family. Get this right and the rest will be easy!
2. Food – The saying “you are what you eat” has more truth than you know. If we fill our stomachs with fatty, rich, salty, processed foods all the time, then we are eating our way to our own demise. Whether it’s high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or just sluggishness, we make a conscious decision any time we put something into our bodies. Make an effort to put more good things than bad into your system. Everyone at work knows I am a donut junky, but I know that if I have one every day, or even once a week, then I am decreasing my chances for a better, healthier future. But hey, one donut ain’t gonna kill me, right? My philosophy is to have what you really love, even if it is not good for you, as an occasional treat, not a meal plan.
3. Friendships – Friendships are important because they satisfy our intrinsic desire to be seen, valued and ultimately loved for who we are. The right friends challenge us to be better, the wrong friends lead us to unhealthy living. The key here is to recognize and know the difference. Keep good friends close by and they will help you to become your best you, this I promise! Although we can’t always be around our friends lately, we can still FaceTime, text, call, Snapchat, there are so many ways to stay in touch with those close to us.
4. Faith – Garth Brooks wrote a song titled, “Unanswered Prayers.” In the song, he reminisces about how lucky he is that some of the things he prayed for were unanswered. Faith helps us to grow as humans because it reminds us that there is someone out there who is more important than ourselves. This humility is paramount to knowing who we are in terms of others, as well as who we are not. This is an important key to becoming a better human being.
5. Fitness – Being out of shape can sometimes limit us from achieving our full potential. Believe me, I get it, very few people actually LOVE to exercise, but I have learned that there is something for everyone. For me, if I play a sport, I don’t even feel like I am exercising. So, give me a ball and let me play tennis, or golf. These things make me happy and I get to work out. I also enjoy my quiet time, so yoga is another great form of exercise that calms my nerves and works my body out. And what about dancing? I love to dance! Some days I just blast my music and dance for an hour. The bottom line is, there is something for everyone, you just need to find your “something.” Make a plan this year to do some form of exercise every single day! Dance. Play a sport, or join a yoga class or gym, the possibilities are nearly limitless. What you do doesn’t matter. Just do it!

mDesign wants to help you (and me) to become the best version of ourselves! The toughest part is starting, so, let me show you how by breaking these down into actionable steps:

Family and Food

These two naturally go together. For an Italian American like me with seven siblings, our close-knit family relationships began at the dinner table. Whether your kids are in diapers or grown adults, dinner is that one time of day when everyone can come together. So, why not make it magical? Start by creating a welcoming kitchen and preparing a meal together.

The farmhouse look is popular and inviting. Update your family kitchen to include some of these beautifully appointed new kitchen accoutrements to give your kitchen a cozy, welcoming feeling.

Start with creating a family recipe book. This can be done online by uploading everyone’s favorite recipes and then creating a “Smith” family recipe book that you can proudly display. Use this sleek and simple recipe stand. Add a few coordinating pieces to bring the look together, such as a paper towel holder and an over-the-cabinet-door towel holder. Finish the cohesive look by adding the coordinating dish towels and wine rack. I mean, what Sunday pasta dinner would be complete without a splash of vino, no?

Friendship

It’s a new year, so why not show your friends how much you appreciate them. I wanted to create a memory together. It doesn’t have to cost much to leave a lasting impression. For example, make them batch of homemade cookies, then display them in one of mDesign’s clear canisters. This set of canister jars is the perfect size for all of my besties.

To add a personal touch, you can monogram the canister with their name or initial, or maybe a “word of the year” they can reflect on, like “Joy.” I have a Cricut, a device that makes personalized items, but if you don’t have one, just hand write the message on clear plastic sticky paper and affix to the jar. Then, just fill it up with your favorite homemade goodies! Voila, the perfect “thank you.”

Fitness

I saved this “F” word for last, and for good reason. I hate it! But what I hate even more is feeling unenergized. Even though I feel SO much better when I’m working out, I still need motivation. I have a treadmill at home, but I hardly ever use it. Why? I’m lazy. So, to get me motivated I have asked Alexa to wake me up at 6 a.m. every weekday morning to C+C Music Factory’s “Everybody Dance Now.” Volume blaring, I jump out of bed, put on my sneakers and grab a cold water, already waiting for me in this water bottle holder in my fridge. I run up to my home gym and let it rip! Now if I can just keep this going all year…someone help me please! I honestly don’t think I can listen to that same song for 365 day.

While going to the gym may not be an accessible or safe option in the new year, you can still do things at home for yourself to take care of your mental and physical fitness. Workout at home, create calming environments and routines in the comfort of your own home, and virtually connect with your friends and support system around you as much as possible.

Check out our full New Year blog series for more inspiration.

Shaylee Dillen is a SEO Content Writer at mDesign
and considers herself a caffeine and cosmetics fanatic!

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